Gone But Not Forgotten
by gothic antagonist
Summary: What went through his mind on that fateful day, and how did he cope with the sudden loss? Sequel to "A Wedding to Remember" told from Russ' and Seeley's POV.


**A/N**- I have always loved Max, so I feel a need to include him in some small way in everything I write. Since I almost always write for Brennan and Booth, that works out beautifully. I believe I owe you an explanation. If I love him so much, why would I kill him? Well to be honest, I was wondering if I could pull off a plot twist like that without uprooting the whole story. And judging from your reactions, I would say I did. I know I promised many of you a sequel, so here it is. I hope you enjoy! (By the way, why is it that Russ AND Max aren't listed in the character filter???)

**Summary**- What went through his mind on that fateful day, and how did he cope with the sudden loss? A Wedding to Remember told from Russ' and Seeley's POV. (But mostly Russ') One-shot.

* * *

_September 13, 2013 -- a day that would never be forgotten._

Russ laid the flowers beside the gravestone and stepped back, looking sadly at the name engraved there. His wife held his arm and looked worriedly at him, but didn't say a word. Neither person noticed the gentle rain that had begun to fall on them.

Tears filled his weary eyes, as they did every time he thought of what occured that day. He closed his eyes and remembered perfectly the feeling of joy and excitement, torn away in an instant by the sudden gunshot. He remembered screaming as blood splattered all over the bride and groom, his father's lifeless body falling into the groom's waiting arms. He remembered the panic, the hysteria, the loneliness that enveloped him when realization sunk in.

"Oh Dad..." he whispered, the pain in his voice almost tangible. "I'm so sorry..."

"Russ, you have nothing to apologize for," his wife said softly. "It wasn't your fault."

He shook his head, tears cascading down his face, mixing with the rain as they fell to the ground. "It's still so fresh in my mind...like a recurring nightmare. I can't get his peaceful smile out of my head..." He crouched and gently touched the name. "And it kills me to think...he knew it would happen. He knew that saving Tempe would end his own life..."

"He saved her life, Russ. Aren't you happy about that?" she asked in a small voice.

"Of course I am...I just wish..." He tightened his fists. "He didn't have to die like that!"

"I know you miss him..." Stacy crouched beside him. "But he accepted it. He chose that way, knowing full well what it meant. He was okay with dying, why aren't you?"

"Because he was my father!" Russ stood as another car pulled up. A man and a woman got out, a small bouquet of flowers in the woman's hands. "It's so hard to say good-bye when the memory keeps surfacing each time I see her. I feel the pain like it's a knife to my heart...and it won't go away."

"Russ..."

The woman stood before the other couple, tears in her eyes as well. "Hey, Russ."

"Hey, Tempe." He looked away, choosing the bright colored flowers over his sister's sorrowful blue eyes.

"I can't believe it's been five years already..." Stacy sighed.

"It makes me feel guilty about celebrating my wedding anniversary," Tempe admitted softly, placing the flowers beside Russ'. "I wish he hadn't saved me...that bullet was meant for me."

"Do you think that about the time _I_ saved your life?" Seeley asked curiously.

"Is now really the time?" Russ snapped.

"I did when I thought you had actually been killed. I said that to Caroline, I would've taken that bullet." Tempe looked at her brother. "You can't linger on the past, Russ. I know it's hard to move on, but--"

"Hard to move on? Try _impossible_, Tempe."

"He wouldn't want you to be upset over him, though," Seeley said. "He wasn't the type that liked people to mourn, especially over him."

"What do you know about him?" Russ spat, his eyes turned red from the invisible tears. "You didn't know him like I did! You didn't know him at all!"

"Russ, please," Stacy held his hands and tried looking him in the eyes. "You're upset, I understand. But you don't have to take it out on them."

Russ looked at her for a moment, then turned and walked to the car on the opposite side of where Booth's was.

"I'm sorry about him," Stacy said to them. "He's been like this for a while now."

"I understand," Bones replied. She, too, bent over and touched the name on the stone. "I miss you, Dad..."

Russ slammed the car door and leaned forward on the steering wheel, his forehead resting on his hands. Tears fell onto his jeans and he made no effort to stop them. "I can't do this, Dad...I can't."

* * *

_"I can't believe she's getting married, Russ." Max leaned on the wall and breathed deeply. "It seems like just yesterday she was riding a tricycle around the driveway and knocking the trash cans over."_

_"I know what you mean." Russ put his father's tie on correctly and shook his head. "How old are you and you _still_ can't do your own tie?"_

_"Hey, I've never liked these stupid things," he said in his defense. _

_"Yeah, yeah." Russ grinned._

_"Okay, there's something wrong here." Booth looked at himself in the mirror with a very confused expression. "I just can't put my finger on it."_

_Russ and Max looked at each other and laughed. "Your pants are on backwards," Russ said._

_"And your tie isn't supposed to do that," Max added, pointing to the bundle of fabric that had become Seeley's tie._

_"As if you're one to talk," Russ chuckled. He went over to Booth and helped fix his tie. "I thought you wear these things all the time."_

_"I _do_, but...I guess I'm just nervous." He sighed and looked at the older man that was now sitting on the couch. "Do you think I'm good enough for her?"_

_"Do you think you'd be marrying her if I didn't?" Max smiled. "Calm down, it'll all be fine. You'll see."_

"How do you know?"

_"Because I felt the same way you do now when I got married." _

_"I did too, if it counts for anything," Russ said as he pulled the tie one last time._

_"We're practically family now, so let me give you some fatherly advice."_

_Seeley and Russ both looked at the man. Russ smiled, while Booth looked a bit saddened. "Okay."_

_"I know your father wasn't the best in the world, and I'm certainly not much better, but...I feel like I need to say this." Max stood up. "I just...don't know how to word it..."_

_"What is it?" both men asked. _

_Max turned and looked Seeley in the eyes. "Well...ever since the day I met you...you've been like a son to me. Even that night we fought and you arrested me, I couldn't help but smile because...it made me feel like a father again. You opened my eyes to what kind of man I should've been to my own son, and now..." He looked down at the ground for a moment, and when he lifted his head again, his eyes were filled to the brim with tears of joy. "You truly will be my son. I can finally say that you are my son...and it makes me so happy to be able to."_

_Russ and Booth looked shocked. Booth's eyes filled with tears as well. "Do you...really mean that? Seriously, I'm like a son to you?"_

_Max nodded. "I couldn't be happier to welcome you into my family. I want to be the father to you that you never had as a child."_

_It was obvious that Max's words touched Booth's heart. He started to cry quietly, completely throwing the "Man's Handbook" out the window. "Thank you, Dad."_

_Russ smiled, tears stinging his own eyes. Just then, the door opened._

_"Hey guys!" Hodgins said happily. "You almost ready?"_

_The three men nodded. When no one was paying attention, Booth hugged Max and kissed his head._

* * *

Booth closed his eyes as that day played in slow motion through his mind. He felt his eyes water but chose to ignore it. He lifted his head to the sky and opened his eyes. "I can't believe he's really gone..."

* * *

_**BANG!**_

_Booth didn't think, he just moved. He caught the falling man in his arms, his eyes locked with the man's. In the blink of an eye, the light in the wounded pair faded, remaining fixed on the new groom. _

_He heard the screams, the shrieks of terror, the hysteria. He heard Bones start to cry, her brother already broken into tears. Soon all of that died away, and all he could see was his almost-father. Another gunshot was heard, followed by a shout of surprise as Cam ran to the shadowed man in the distance, but Seeley Booth was already lost in his daze. _

_He lifted the man and walked calmly into the Jeffersonian, straight to Bones' office. He didn't care if anyone followed him as he laid the man on the couch. He looked at the wound in Max's chest and moaned, his emotional pain leaking through his cracking wall._

_"Why did you have to die?" he whispered, resting his forehead on his father's arm._

* * *

Seeley walked calmly to Russ and put his hand on his shoulder. "Russ..." he said softly. "I..."

"You were like a brother to me, you know. Before you and Tempe were even dating, I admired you..." Russ looked at him through his tear-strained eyes. "And then you proposed to her...I felt the same way Dad did..."

Booth smiled sadly. "I'm sorry, Russ...I wish I could make things better. I don't like seeing you or Bones so sad. Being a sniper had its advantages -- I can hide how I'm feeling. You two are different." He sighed heavily. "All we have is each other. We shouldn't be trying to overcome this by ourselves. What will that solve? It'll just drive a wedge between us, and no one wants that."

Russ wiped his tears away and nodded. "Yeah, you're right."

"Why don't you and Stacy and the girls have dinner with us tonight?" Booth suggested. "We can talk about sports or whatever."

"Or Dad..." He smiled. "Thanks, Seeley."

"Hey, you're family." He kissed Russ' head brotherly and hugged him. "Come on, let's go."

"Alright."

Booth smiled and walked to his wife. Russ paused and looked up at the sky. _I know it'll take some time...but Seeley's right. We're family, and family sticks together._ He smiled and followed the others, feeling the hole in his heart fill up.

* * *

**A/N**- Oh, I also love Russ. =3 Aren't Seeley and him a great pair? Hmm...haha. Don't forget to review!!


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